Why NSO took over my life (and why I'm glad it did!)

You know that sense of relief, exhaustion, and jubilation you feel right after you run a marathon? I don't since I've never actually run a marathon, but I imagine it's sort of like how I feel now after New Student Outreach (NSO). For those of you not familiar with InterVarsity lingo, NSO is Intervarsity's full court press during the first 4 weeks of school wherein we put on weekly off campus events, on campus out reach and engagement, attend our regional conference in LA with students, and launched both our 7 small groups and our weekly meeting Encounter. NSO is a lot like a marathon, months of prep and training before, mentally preparing yourself for the long haul, and the feeling of joy at seeing what God has accomplished through our efforts. Here are the highlights of just some of the many things God did in just 4 weeks on campus- in photo/video form!

Leadership Retreat

(3 not pictured because they missed the photo shoot, but we love them anyway!) 

Even before the start of the year and NSO, the 27 student leaders and 3 staff spent the weekend together praying, preparing, and playing at our annual Leadership retreat!

Ignite

Two years ago, USD brought 3 students to Ignite (our regional "kick off" conference in LA); this year, we brought 3 ROWS of students!!! They, along with 500 other students from campuses all across southern California, had a day filled with speakers, training, fellowship, and worship! Watch the video below for a snapshot of the awesome time students had in connecting to God through song.

Alcala Bazaar

USD's yearly campus wide student orgs fair, the "Alcala Bazaar", brought over 200 students to our booth, signing up for community groups and introducing the new students to who we are!

Night on the Town

19 teams made up of 104 students raced around San Diego in our traditional city wide photo/video scavenger hunt! Among the 19 stops, a thrift store fashion show, seranding strangers downtown, and a lightsaber battle. With a dinner at The Cheesecake Factory for the winning team at stake, teams went above and beyond with their submissions, we gathered the best of the best for the Hall of Fame 2013, check it out and be amazed!

NSO Events

Night on the Town was just the start to the NSO madness! Other events included laser tag, camping, guys/girls night, and more!

Encounter

Every Thursday night we host Encounter, a time of fellowship and response- complete with student led worship and staff speaking on life with God in college and beyond. In just the first 4 weeks, 14 students made decisions to follow Jesus! Encounter is what I was in charge of as a student, and have the priveledge of working on as staff. With 90+ students attending each week, it's amazing to see the growth God's given us!

Greek InterVarsity

One of my favorite parts of my job is being able to oversee the (re)plant of Greek InterVarsity on USD's campus! Though I myself didn't rush, I am SO excited to come along side Greek students as they figure out together what it means to be both a Christian and Greek at USD! Pictured above is our very first Greek "Happy Hour"- where we students prayed for their brothers and sisters in Greek life!

The Lasting Impact of Breaking Bad on Popular Culture: A Study, bitch!

In this new "golden age" of television, Breaking Bad has become the belle of the ball, winning over audiences and Emmy voters alike. Even if you've been living under a 60 gallon barrel of cash in the middle of the New Mexican desert for the past 6 years, you still cringe when you see a box cutter, and giggle every time you hear the word "bitch". I'm sure scholars and psychologists will be studying the "Heisenberg effect" for years to come, but here is a quick look at just some of the ways Breaking Bad has had a lasting impact on pop culture.

5. It made meth cool. Poor meth, it's just as deadly and addictive as cocaine, with as much potential to ruin your life as heroine, but it never seemed to get the attention it deserved... UNTIL NOW! In this down economy, meth dealers are finally able to provide for their families (Just like, Walt!) and get the street cred they deserve. Dealers are "feeling blue" (dying their product the signature Heisenberg color), with meth sales rising faster than Hank at the DEA.

"42% rise in sales, bitch!"

4. It gave kleptomaniacs a break. Over 1.2 million people suffer from kleptomania, tearing apart families, destroying futures, and seen by many as a desperate cry for help. But when you compare that with the running of a vast drug empire, it doesn't seem all that bad, does it? Back when Walt was cutting the crust off a hostage's sandwich, Marie's sticky fingers seemed like quite the family crisis. But after Walt aligning with the arian mafia to take out Gus' whole crew simultaneously (including setting one guy on fire), lifting a diamond tiara here or there hardly seems like criminal activity.

"It's fine for Walt to steal the spotlight from me, but not OK for me to 'borrow' these shoes?!" 

3. It reestablished breakfast as the most important meal of the day. Is it weird that even though I know Walter Jr. will be in copious amounts of therapy for years I still find myself a little jealous of him for the elaborate breakfasts he's served every morning? Sure, my dad wasn't a drug king pin and my mom didn't launder his money, but they also never made me pancakes with a side of bacon, eggs, toast and cereal (just in case I wasn't in the mood for the other stuff). Taking in the news of your parent's drug empire is a lot easier when you're washing it down with a glass of OJ.

"Dad, I understand the complex moral situation you were in- could you pass the omelets?"

2. It inspired a renewed interest in poetry. Whether you're a genius killing time between meth cooks or a DEA agent looking for a good read while taking a dump, Breaking Bad established the importance of being hooked on phonics and how it can make (or, more often, break) your place in the drug business. Watching the show sometimes felt like it came with homework assignments, from googling ancient Greek poems ("Ozy-who?") to looking up textual analysis on the writings of Walt Whitman, I spent more time researching the subtle metaphorical subtext connecting mentioned works of literature to the show than on my actual research papers.

" The hyperbolic nature of this poem seems to correlate with my brother-in-law's strange activity..." 

1. It brought "bitch" back.  In an age of declining television censorship and the rising use of once taboo curse words, calling someone a "bitch" didn't pack the same punch as it use to. Resigned to living out the rest of its days as the latter part of a tagline for Brittany Spears, Aaron Paul plucked the insult out of pop culture obscurity and threw it back into the spotlight.  Boasting both science and magnets as part of its verbal entourage, Bitch is back in a big way, going from a lame, half-assed insult to glorified word of nostalgia for Breaking Bad fans everywhere.

I, for one, am sad to see one of the greatest shows of the decade go, but glad its important cultural impact will continue on for years to come (...bitch).

This day in History...

        August 15th 1991 my life was forever changed. I wouldn't find out how important it was till years later, but nevertheless that day will remain a landmark in my life. What significance does that date hold, you ask? Well, you must not be friends with a one Miss Adriana Karina Rapazzini, because anyone who's held a five minute conversation with her can tell you August 15th 1991 is the day of her birth.

       Her tendency to trumpet the imminence of her birthday months before its arrival is just one of the many, many things I love about the girl I get to call my best friend. I love the fact that she always has a kind word to say about everyone, provided everyone is up to her dress code and make-up standards. When you receive a compliment from Adrian you know she really means it because she doesn't hand them out lightly. You find out rather quickly that she knows no social bounds, or rather, she knows them but chooses to be above them and will say to you what she wants regardless of how uncomfortable it might make you feel. She pulls off awkward with such confidence that you can't even call it awkward, it's just Adrian. Some accuse her of hogging the spotlight, but I know she would gladly give it up, if anyone were worthy to take it from her. She has the uncanny ability to draw the attention of the entire room to herself by simply being her beautiful self.

           Hearing cat calls and hollers as she walks through the streets of Berkeley or San Jose is normal background noise in the soundtrack of daily life for Adriana. But that just comes with the territory of being a vivacious, hair flipping, hip swirling vixen. A little known fact about Adrian: the song "Cyclone" was written about her (or so she often claims). Her beauty is only matched by her intellect, neither of which compare to her vanity. The opposite of self-deprecating humor, Adrian's witty sayings about herself make her one of the most quotable people I know.

          But these things just scratch the surface of what a wonderful person Adrian is. Fiercely loyal, a kind and generous soul, abounding patience (waiting for my text messages for hours, sometimes days), with a deeply caring heart, those who get to call themselves her friends count themselves lucky to have such an amazing person on their side.
           I know I do.

          

i love london.

So many reasons why: so many memories being made, adventures being had, opportunities being taken, things being boughten, friends being made, and lessons being learned. I serve an amazing God who’s all perfect plan led me right where i am. 

Spark Notes

Because it's almost 2am and I have yet to do my class reading or my homework, I'm giving you the sparknotes version of my last few days. I would wait till later to write a proper entry and do the adventures that I've had justice, but seeing as I don't think my life will be slowing down at all the next fews days (and then some), I decided this was would have to do. I need to give my fans something.

Saturday 

- Orientation (nap time)

-Bus tour (saw JK Rowling's house among other British Landmarks)

-Stumbled upon a Jesus Festival in the middle of Westminster (will dedicate an entire blog to that experience at a later date).

- Spent an hour at the National Art Gallery (free and awesome).

- River boat tour of the Thames (Most entertaining tour guide).

-Got lost looking for a pub (and asked a guy on a motorcycle for directions).

- Found said pub (and 4 British guys we introduced ourselves too).

- Spent the rest of the night at a second pub (with our new mates). 

- Ran at full speed to make the last tube before it closed (with Annabel yelling, "Americans coming through!" as we nearly ran over everyone in our path).

Sunday

- Group Lecture (nap time)

- Made a Sainsbury run (British "Target").

- Went on a seemingly never ending walking tour of the Olympic Grounds (bought a keychain).

- Attended a local Korean Baptist Church (loooong story, but in the end no one in the church was even Korean, although the pianist for worship was Vietnamese I think). 

-  Group dinner at a Bangladesh restraunt in the dodgy end of town (Loads of people raved about the food afterwards, Bianca and I gave it high praise, saying, "it was edible since we were starving").

-Walked around the center of London looking for cheap ice cream (we found it, at McDonald's). 

Monday

-First day of class (I was told I came here to go to school).

-Maids came and cleaned our rooms (come on, USD, get with the program).

-Trying and almost not succeeding in all our errands (but who needs money anyway?).

- Ate an amazing and amazingly cheap lunch (at a place called "Munch, Munch").

-Succeeded in our long quest for a straightener (not only a benefit to myself and Bianca, but also for all the people who had to hear us complain about not having one).

- Got terribly lost looking for a pub (both times we've gotten lost it's been in search of a pub and both times it hasn't been our fault, but the direction giver's).

-Found the pub, but ended up eating take out at the place next store (fit our budgets considerably better)

-Sat outside along the river Thames (chatting, bonding, and shoo-ing away pigeons).

- Saw an AMAZING rendition of my favorite play in the entire world Much Ado About Nothing in the Old Globe Theatre, a very authentic experience (we stood for the entire performance, all three hours of it). 

On Queue for This Week:

-Wimbledon (hopefully get to see a match this time around)

- High Tea at The Capital (rated one of the best hotels in the world, nbd)

-Mumford & Sons Concert (yep, I got tickets!!!)

- Day Trip to Oxford (hopefully I can go to the mailing department for Hogwarts and see why they've taken so long to deliver my acceptance letter...)

- A game of futbol with our new British mates (followed by a celebratory/consolatory trip to the pub).

-A ton of other adventures that will no doubt occur. 

This list doesn't at all give a feel for how amazing/jampacked/authentic/indescribablely awesome my last few days have been. But school calls so it'll have to do for now.

I think it's love

That's right people, I'm in love. 

London is an absolutely fantastically amazing city. Good luck trying to get me to come back to the states. 

(Where I plan to live when I move across the pond permanently)

Why in the heck did we ever separate from our mother country! Taxation without representation? Who cares! Most people can't name their states senators and representatives anyway, and being British is about the coolest thing ever.

Seriously, I love everything about it here. I spent the day exploring, getting on and off the tube, going nowhere in particular but ended up with some awesome adventures. Just to name a few happenings here in London...  

-Heard a tennis match at Wimbledon. (I didn't get to actually see the match thanks to a fence, wall of shrubbery, and lack of 60 pounds, but I could literally hear the players grunting!)

-Got my luggage carried up 2 flights of stairs for me (by a kindly old man in his 80's). 

- Was interviewed on camera by a British Online Publication called "Wink Ball". 

- Had tea with milk (and didn't hate! I felt very British.)

- On a scale from one to Lord of the Rings, I walked the latter. 

Highlight of the day: As I aimlessly walked through the streets of Wimbledon, I saw a guy in his early twenties walking towards me. He had blonde hair, blue eyes, hipster looking glasses, a long sleeve shirt with a wool vest, and was carrying a massive bouquet of flowers. He was basically the quintessential British boy and everything I've ever wanted. I thought about pulling out my camera to take a picture but decided that I didn't want to look like a tourist and/or ruin my chances of him falling in love with me. So I kept my cool, but as he passed he stopped me and said (in his adorable British voice), "Excuse me Miss, do you happen to know where St. Mary's Church is?" He mistook me for a local!!!!! Even if he had been a hundred year old woman the fact that I was being mistaken for a Brit was beyond thrilling (and the fact that he was a good looking 20 something was just icing on the cake). BUT the best part of it all? I knew where St. Mary's Church was!!! I had just been there myself, poking around. So I gave him directions ("Up two streets then at the roundabout turn right and it's a little ways down on your right") and walked away feeling more patriotic for my mother country than ever. 

Beginning Again

Back by popular demand (and request of my parents) I have re-entered the world of blogging; yet another form of social media where you are encouraged to overload everyone with more information about your life than they ever wanted to know. 

 Why the return? As of tomorrow, I will find myself phone-less. A dream come true for me, but not so good for keeping my many fans updated on my travels (London, Oxford, Dublin, Paris, Florence, Madrid, San Sebastian, Barcelona, and New York). So don't be offended when I don't return your texts or calls, I finally have a wonderfully legitimate excuse as to why I'm not answering aside from my poor communication skills. 

So if you're looking for someone to vicariously travel through this summer,
I'm your girl. 

(My suitcase)

Prayers and well wishes accepted (along with cash if you're feeling generous), hoping that God uses my time abroad in ways I wouldn't have even fathomed.